Identifying the cause of bowel cancer in younger people

Background

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Australia, with around 15,500 new diagnoses each year. The number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer under the age of 50 is rising in Australia and other high-income countries.  

Finding bowel cancer early significantly improves the treatment success and survival. Australia’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program was implemented to help prevent and detect bowel cancers before symptoms even develop. However, participation in the program is currently only recommended for people aged 50 to 74. As such, bowel cancer in people aged under 50 is often not diagnosed until a later stage when treatment is difficult. More information on the causes of bowel cancer in people younger people is needed to improve early detection and treatment outcomes. 

The research

In recent years, the gut microbiome has emerged as a key area of focus for medical research. The gut microbiome (or gut bacteria) is a collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in our gastrointestinal tract and is responsible for breaking down the food we eat. Researchers have discovered links between gut bacteria and a wide range of illnesses including some cancers.  

Recent research has shown that a specific group of gut bacteria leaves a signature on bowel cancer tumours – providing evidence that this group of bacteria causes some bowel cancers. 

Associate Professor Daniel Buchanan believes this group of gut bacteria may be responsible for the development of bowel cancer in younger people. In this project, A/Prof Buchanan and his team will determine how the gut bacteria causes bowel cancer in younger adults by identifying molecular signatures in tumour samples and in samples from the bowel lining of young adults.